The Nearest Place to the Heaven
by Galdr
Summary: Born in the middle of the war and chosen to go back and prevent the death of his father. The son of the Child of Prophecy is tasked with responsibilities so great that no man would want to carry on his shoulders. And he's only ten years old. [AU and probable cliche time travel with the works] [will have very casual updates]
1. One

Note: Don't kill me, I just had to submit this to get it off my chest. I won't be updating this story as often. It'll have some occasional updates like I will have with my story, _Of Angels and Ninjas_. Just...eh, yeah.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, never have and never will. Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi. I suppose I own the idea of this fanfiction, though.

Warning: Cliched time-travel sequence involving, well, time-travel. Also, it's an AU. Revolves mostly around the character listed, as you've noticed from the summary. Anyway, onto chapter one of _The Nearest Place to the Heaven_. (Title inspiration: Phantasy Star Online: Episode 1 and 2)

Edit: 3/31/2015; changed "Bolt" to "Boruto" because...yeah.

-x- 1 -x-

Ten years.

That's how long it's been since he was born. That's how long this war had gone on for. And, it's how long his father had been dead. When that man, Madara Uchiha, was revived completely, that's when things had went to hell. He was an even formidable opponent, and the Shinobi Alliance had to make their retreat because he had been so powerful. Had it not been for the reincarnated Nidaime and Yondaime Hokages and their conjoined use of the Hiraishin Technique at the last second... Well, let's say that every one of those people would have died.

The Alliance had hidden in hopes of recuperating, reforming, and to map out plans of attack. It seemed rather futile to hide as the Jūbi could sense them easily, due to the Hachibi and Kyūbi being unsealed within it. With all three of remaining Jinchūriki were away from the battlefield, it was mostly a dangerous game of hide and seek, with Madara as the Seeker and the Alliance as the Hider. During their time hiding out, mostly for the medic-nin (those leftover) to heal as many of the injured as possible, they strategized every possibility in hopes to defeat Madara and the Jūbi.

When one concrete plan had been put into motion, it seemed successful.

And then, once Madara got a hold of the Kyūbi Jinchūriki and ripped it out, that's when it spiraled downhill once more. With the Nine-Tails sealed into the statue, and their charismatic leader defeated due to Tailed Beast Extraction, their hope began to dwindle like a candle. The crazed Uchiha capitalized on that and attempted to wipe them all out and take the Hachibi from its host.

His endeavor was nearly successful, but again, the blasted Hokage with the time-space ninjutsu showed up just in time to make their little retreat once again. Not only that, but Obito Uchiha, his once accomplice, had turned sides and fought him long enough for the Alliance to escape again. He had killed and disposed of the useless Uchiha while taking the Rinnegan for himself. Despite their escape and efforts to restore their fallen hero to life, he was far too gone and it was much too late. Naruto Uzumaki, age seventeen, had died and left the world of the living, and the battle, to his friends and comrades.

Though, he did not leave without a legacy of his own.

Sighing, the blond-haired lad walked through the barrier-sealed underground safe haven, frowning as he watched the surviving shinobi running around, doing several tasks. His floppy, leaf-shaped hair bounced a little with each step he took, but he didn't really mind it. While letting his thoughts run again, he had forgotten he had been called by his mentors and found their location quickly, having sensed their chakra.

"Grandpa, I'm here." He made his announcement and presence known. A blond-haired man, who wasn't really alive, but only so through a jutsu, turned and smiled at the kid before nodding.

"Ah, Boruto. There you are. Thank you for showing up. We have a few things to cover today."

"I know," the boy, known as Boruto, said before routinely getting himself geared up for his training. "What are we going to go over today, Grandpa?"

"Well," the Fourth Hokage started, "we'll be going over your Rasengan again. I want to be sure you have it down to pat, as well as your stances. After that, your mother and uncle will go over your bloodline capabilities to make sure you're in top shape in that area."

Boruto nodded and proceeded to make the Rasengan using one hand. He had been trying to get the jutsu perfected for a year now since they've been hidden and his family had been training him. When he first started his training regimen, he had only been four years old. He remembered his mother crying silently and protesting, but his Grandfather—his maternal grandparent—had firmly told her 'it was the only way'. In turn, his parental grandparent, whom he labeled affectionately as 'Grandpa' to differentiate between the two grandparents, also agreed to training the boy early on.

As he grew older, he learned they were grooming him to become a ninja, a special ninja, with a lot of hopes riding on his shoulders. They weren't trying to train him so he could defeat Madara Uchiha, the man who killed his father, but to do something entirely different. He learned of his task, his mission, last year when his Grandpa was teaching him the Rasengan. They were going to send him back in time to prevent the Fourth Shinobi World War from happening, and to prevent Naruto Uzumaki, his father, from dying prematurely.

It was a lot of weight to put on a child's shoulders, and at first, Boruto was terrified and scared. However, his adopted Uncle, Sasuke Uchiha, told him that his father never gave up because it was nindō, his way of the ninja. His adopted Aunt, Sakura Haruno, also mentioned the same words to him, and also recounted many good things his father had done when he was alive, even tales of his childhood. Boruto soaked up every tale of his father like a sponge, and drew inspiration from his father's nindō and made it his own, like his mother.

After a few days of thinking about it, he agreed wholeheartedly to the plan, much to his distraught mother's chagrin. He resolved himself to train everyday and prepare for the day he would be sent back in time and start his mission.

When his Grandpa wasn't teaching him, he and the other ex-Hokage of Konoha were working on a complicated seal that would be a key factor of helping his grandson in his mission. His mother and maternal grandfather would assist him with his Jūken and another style called Hapki-do. Strangely enough, he managed to combine both styles into one and call it his own.

Once his recalling memories ended, he focused onto rotating his chakra, making it become visible after a few seconds of concentration. Unlike the blue one his father made or the light green one his Grandpa made, Boruto's was turning a shade of yellow instead, giving it a unique color. The whirling noise came along with and the spiraling ball whizzed radically in the child's hand. While it was mostly the size of a baseball, it packed tremendous power behind it.

"Good, it looks stable. How long do you think you can you hold it?"

"Not for long, Grandpa. Maybe two minutes at the most."

"That's fine. You'll only need two minutes anyhow as you'll be hitting your opponents with it and not marveling how cool it looks," the former Yondaime said with a light chuckle. "Anyway, you can dismiss it now." The boy did as he was told and tensed for the next session. "All right now, let's get ready for your spar. I want you to go all out, and don't hold back as usual, understood."

The Fourth's grandson smirked, a smirk worthy of Sasuke Uchiha and slipped into his modified Jūkenpō. "Fine by me. Just don't go to Mom crying when I close your tenketsu points-ttebasa!" He exclaimed excitedly as channeled chakra to the tips of his fingers and feet.

Minato Namikaze, proud father of Naruto Uzumaki and grandparent to Boruto Uzumaki, smiled warmly before taking position opposite of the determined lad. He already knew the kid inherited both his wife's and son's verbal tic. '_Must run deep in the Uzumaki genes_,' he thought playfully before focusing on his grandchild. "Very well, Boruto. The same can be said to you. On my ready, okay?" An affirmative nod was given. "3, 2, 1...begin!"

-x-

For Boruto, this was an everyday occurrence to him, ever since he was four and, later, when he accepted his mission at nine-years-old. At the rate he was being trained by not only his family but the other Hokage at times, he was very close to chūnin rank. His family aimed for low jōnin rank at the most, so he could defend himself against any enemy that he would eventually encounter during his trip to the past. He learned something from everyone but mostly from his immediate family members.

From his Aunt Sakura, he learned chakra control and medical ninjutsu, on the off chance he would need to heal himself. From his Uncle Sasuke, he learned the two basic ninjutsu that was taught at Konoha's academy, the Henge and Kawarimi techniques. Bunshin had no effect as the blond-haired child had the same issue as his father when it came to chakra. For that, his grandpa taught him the Kage Bunshin as a substitute. From his Uncle Kakashi, he was taught a few Lightning Release techniques as it was discovered he had a Lightning affinity with Wind as secondary.

Since there were no trees to do the Tree Walking exercise, he'd been learning to walk on walls instead and, as a substitute, the adults drilled a large portion of the ground and had Tobirama Senju, the former Nidaime Hokage, fill it with a Water Release technique. This was how he learned how to perform the Water Walking exercise, with several days of failure though.

Through his mother, Hinata Hyūga, he acquired the Byakugan, though it was considered an incomplete form as he could see only 180 degrees around him and not the complete 360. Boruto had several openings in his guard using his dojutsu, but this was remedied with his grandpa suggesting sage training.

The process itself to summoning was a difficult process as the only Toad Sage alive had been his father. The toad scroll, which had been left in Konoha, had been retrieved by a brave group of shinobi and given to Boruto when he was eight. He signed his name and summoned a medium-sized messenger toad. Said summon was shocked to hear the Child of Prophecy had a legacy and puffed away to spread the good news to his fellowman. Not long after, Boruto had been reverse-summoned along with the Edo Tensei Minato by the Great Toad Sage, Gamamaru, who had foreseen their plans to direct the child to his mission. With the sage's words and advice and extension abuse of his Shadow Clones, Boruto earned his right to access sage training.

Unfortunately, due to time constraints and the way the barrier of the underground worked, Boruto could only hold up his genuinely earned sage mode for one minute. He had wanted to surpass his father's full ten minutes, but knew his limits and would train until he could hold out for a longer duration. While he wanted to learn fūinjutsu, most of it was too complex,so he opted out on going that far. However, his grandpa urged him to learn the Tailed Beast Transfer technique, as one of Boruto's other goals in the mission was to deliver the Yin Kyūbi's chakra to his father, so the Nine-Tails could become one whole entity again, and his memories of the future could be used to warn Naruto and thus they could move their plans much faster.

As an added bonus, both of his grandparents designed a counter to the Caged Bird Seal, to which the Hyūga Patriarch asked to 'free your cousin from his burden.' Boruto accepted this because he, too, wanted to help his mother's beloved 'Neji-nii-san' from it.

If everything went according to plan, Minato's soul of the past—as with the other past Hokage—would remain in the Shinigami's stomach and not summoned by Orochimaru. Boruto had concerns for this technique, but Minato reassured him that he wouldn't die from using it, as he would refine the already grafted seal so the Yin half's chakra wouldn't leak into the boy's system and thus have their entities intertwined. If the chance that the Yin would be extracted, Boruto would survive. The unsealed half of Kurama agreed to this plan.

Thanks to Shikamaru Nara's input, they would send Boruto eleven years into the past, a week or so before his father returned to Konoha after his training trip with Jiraiya. This would give the boy ample time to prepare for his mission and set out to do as needed.

First, was to deliver a scroll message to Tsunade, Hashirama Senju's granddaughter and the current Fifth Hokage. The woman herself had gathered the former Hokage and drafted a letter together, signed for only her past self's eyes to see. This would be Naruto's son's verification as a real person from the future, and nobody could mimicry her handwriting. For added measure, she put in information that no one but her and Shizune knew in case the letter was disclaimed.

"Again, what do you see, Boruto?" Hinata asked her only son as he activated his Byakugan, looking around the base.

"I can still only see through some of the walls, and I _think_ that's Uncle Sasu eating a tomato in that other room, there..."

Trying not to picture the stoic Uchiha and his love for tomatoes together, Hinata pushed her giggles aside and focused on the ten-year-old. "Good. What else?"

"Mm, I can somewhat see Grandfather behind me, but it's hard to tell if he's ready to attack or not." Boruto didn't move to confirm as he was currently training how far he could see with his dojutsu active. "Oh, and your tenketsu and your chakra circulating in your body, Mom. But other than that, it looks like it has been for the past five years." Basically, still 180 degrees.

Hinata didn't sigh or look disappointed; she suspected this would become a permanent fixture for her son. The Byakugan apparently wasn't as dominant of a trait and only half as his father's Uzumaki genes were heavily dominant. The boy inherited those more than he inherited anything from his mother, but to be fair, the heiress didn't mind at all. She loved her son to death, and not because he was the procreation of the young man she admired and loved all her life. It also had nothing to do that he was the last thing she had that connected her to him. Both of those reasons were valid and did matter, but how determined he had been since last year was refreshing to her.

Her son reminded her of his father's steadfast and unwavering courage. When he was born, he had been her light once again and the years spent with him she would treasure forever. Hinata only hoped Boruto would cherish his time spent with his family because tomorrow was the day they set for him to go back. Today was her last day with him and she wanted it to mean the most. Having raised a child in the middle of war wasn't ideal and before he was born, many had the gall to suggest she abort the baby because the resources used in the war were running low. It had been a tough gamble but Hinata was certain she and her child would survive.

While she'd wish he'd been born in times of peace, the slight peaceful moments with him hadn't been wasted and were the most precious. The heiress wouldn't trade them for anything. The boy's interactive family was anything but normal and that included his father's former teammates and sensei of Team 7. Having seen his friend's death had ultimately changed Sasuke and hearing of Hinata's sudden pregnancy of said friend's child, he became fiercely protective. He promised on his Sharingan that he would protect the child with his life. Sakura, the main medic along with Tsunade, also promised the same and became Boruto's godmother, appointed by Hinata herself.

The remainder of Konoha 12 were like the odd adopted sibling-figures for their beloved knucklehead's son. Shino Aburame and Kiba Inuzuka, along with Akamaru—Hinata's teammates from Team 8—had doted on the little blond before he started his training and were tasked the duty of watching him as he grew older as well. They became the older brother figures in his life. From her recaps of memories, Hinata smiled earnestly and glanced over to her bundle of joy. He was still looking at everything through his activated bloodline and concluded what he saw.

"And there's Auntie Sakura healing a shinobi, with Killer Bee standing beside her."

"Very good, Boruto. You can deactivate your Byakugan now," his mother said gently. As he did so, she placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled down at him when she noticed his frown. "Don't worry about not being able to see the fully with it on, son. You'll be mastering Sage Mode, which will more than make up for that. Remember your limits, all right? I don't want you to strain yourself."

"Yes, Mom. I remember. I just wish I could so then I wouldn't have to rely on so much..."

"Learning how to channel nature chakra, I think, is as valuable."

"...Yeah? Well, I'll just have to get better at handling Sage Mode for longer so I can surpass Dad's someday!" Boruto exclaimed with a transformed grin on his face. After a moment, it settled into a neutral expression and he gazed up at his mother with his blue eyes. "Hey, Mom? Can you tell me the story of how you protected Dad from that Pain guy again?"

Blushing a little as she recounted the memory in her mind, Hinata agreed by saying, "Sure thing, Boruto. Let me tell you over a small dinner, all right?" The boy nodded and knew what they'd be having; almost the same thing they've been having since he was born: ramen and tomato soup. Tomorrow was the day he'd set off. He could only hope he would make his parents and family proud by doing everything right and then make it back home in time to stop Madara.

-x- Next Day -x-

"It's finally finished," Minato said as he and the other Kages were looking over the sealing array of the technique they created. Using as many possible theories they could come up with, the jutsu that would send his grandson back in time would be a permanent fixture. They'd be ripping a fabric of time and space using their chakra, and pushing someone through that wasn't supposed to be there at all. In essence, Boruto's presence should only cause a little bit of spacial distortion, but not enough for the world to move out of balance. The Yin half that would be traveling with him would act as a beacon placement to make sure he traveled safely through the rip. After all, he was a mass of chakra and wouldn't be too affected by the distortion. The problem would be simply resolved if he merged with his other half, or with the other version of the Yin portion.

Shikamaru ran through the possibility that Boruto might also cease to exist once he finished using the Tailed Beast Transfer technique, as the Bijū would be the only thing holding him in place in the past, as the Yin portion was from another time, but simply a place holder of chakra that sustained another body. While they wished the boy to at least live happily in the past once his mission was finished, they grimly accepted he could disappear. Everyone only hoped he would complete everything before doing so.

"Everything's ready, correct?" Hiashi Hyūga, father to Hinata, asked as he stepped into the large built in room, observing the drawn out seal on the ground. It had been made using blood-infused chakra from the Konoha 12. The place where they wanted to send their charge would be Konoha before Pain's arrival. For it to be precise, those that were present in Konoha before Naruto arrived had to offer approximately 15 milliliters of blood. With it, and some infusion of chakra from each of the four reincarnated Hokage and Killer Bee, it was designed to accommodate their elemental affinity as they posed as 'chakra poles' to connect to the time-space rift.

Using the Hachibi's chakra as a pushing force, it would successfully connect to the appropriate time era. The plan was perfect and the only repercussion was that there was a high chance their world would cease to exist. The other thing they failed to tell Boruto was that they were designed a one-way trip back to the past. He wouldn't ever come back and with no way possible to reverse this technique, he would be stuck there. For all that's worth, the shinobi were hoping it'd be that way.

"It's ready," Tobirama answered as his brother, Hashirama, and his student, Hiruzen Sarutobi—the former Sandaime Hokage—were busy overlooking the seal for last second decisions. "Where is our young charge?" After all, today was the day.

"He's preparing himself," the Hyūga Clan Head replied somberly, as if he didn't want to sacrifice anyone else from his family. He'd lost his twin brother, Hizashi, several years ago, and then his nephew, Neji, died protecting his daughter and Naruto. "They are making sure his preparations are complete."

"I see. Let us know when he's ready. We'll start our own preparations for the task."

"Very well."

-x-

"Boruto, are you sure you have everything?" Hinata asked as she watched her son going through his small pack. "You're not forgetting anything, are you?"

"I have everything on this checklist you gave me, remember Mom?" the ten-year-old boy said as he handed her the scroll she had given him earlier in the day. He zipped his pack up and slung it over his back, securing it. "I also know what I'm supposed to do, too, when I get there." He gave his mother a reassuring smile and grin that his father was famous for. "Besides, I'm gonna save Dad and stop that stupid Madara from hurting anybody else by ruining dumb his plan and Bijū collection. Because I'll never give up or go back on my word. That's our nindō, dattebasa!"

Hinata couldn't help but shed a couple tears as she hugged her child close. He hugged back, knowing how emotional his mother could be. He didn't mean to sound like his Dad, but he couldn't help it. Having drawn inspiration from the dead man and giving his mother hope was his only way of keeping her smile. At least, that's what he thought. Boruto hated seeing her crying and made it his mission to stop it. He had been rather close since last year so he counted every victory.

He knew today he would begin his mission. That's why he had his mother and the rest of her friends recount any tale of their past to him, in hopes of remembering anything important. Ino Yamanaka had dropped by the night before, asking him to 'watch Asuma-sensei if you can.' Boruto figured this was Konohamaru-nii-san's uncle, the one who died before he could marry his mother's sensei, Kurenai Yūhi. He couldn't make too many promises, but he told her he would be on the lookout for him and keep an eye on him whenever possible.

Aside from that, his checklist contained: A) a rough sketch of Konoha before Pain's attack, B) a rough sketch of Konoha after Pain's attack, C) an extra spare of clothes they could afford for him to take, D) the leftover ryo they could gather, and E) the letter to Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage. He had triple-checked his pack to make sure he had all the listed necessities as he could buy the rest he needed when his launch to the past was completed.

Hinata finally released her son and quietly lead him out of his temporary chambers. They headed to the larger room where the sealing matrix had been designed and the ex-Hokage were awaiting them. Not only that, but the remainder of the Alliance and the Konoha 12 plus Uncle Sasuke were present. They all looked to their newest champion with hope burning in their eyes. Boruto knew their eyes were on him, and he took a deep breath already knowing what to do. They had rehearsed this earlier; well, mostly about what he'd needed to do such as where to walk, etc.

He left his mother's side and walked carefully towards the center of the array, waiting for his grandpa to direct him.

There were smiles all directed at him.

"Boruto Uzumaki, let me say this, as your grandfather, you have given me much joy. I may just be a reincarnation via a jutsu, but these past ten years have been fulfilling to me," Minato started as he gazed down proudly at the younger blond. "I had been unable to raise Naruto as your grandmother, Kushina, and I wanted to, due to unfortunate circumstances. But, I had the chance to see you grow up and become a fine shinobi and strong young man under our care." He could see his grandson's eyes water with upcoming tears and couldn't help but smile somberly. "For everything you've done, and for what you will do, never forget that we're always proud of you.

"I'm proud to be your grandfather and proud to have you as my grandson. You're the best gift that's ever been born. Don't forget that."

Boruto managed to blink away his tears in time and nodded to the man that had a hand in raising him. "Hai, Grandpa."

The next one to step up was his maternal grandfather, Hiashi, who stared at the boy for a moment before offering a light smile. "My grandchild, you have been a blessing to the Hyūga name despite the out-of-order details in which you were conceived. However, that doesn't matter to me because you have given this old man a new reason to see hope. You will always have my gratitude for being the joy in my daughter's life. Please, stay safe on your journey as you complete your task."

Boruto bowed his head to the Clan Head in respect. "I will Grandfather. So, no need to worry about me and get anymore gray hairs, Old Man!" There were a couple of chuckles that went around after his comment though settled down in order for the next person to speak.

Tsunade was the next to come up to him and give the boy something. "Here, gaki. Take this."

"Eh? What is it, baa-chan?"

Ignoring the 'granny' comment, the Slug Princess decided to educate the lad. "This is your father's Konoha hitai-ate," she began, watching his eyes light up from confusion to instant awe, "the material for the headband, we repaired as much as we could. The steel plate has unfortunate scratches, but good enough to have as a keepsake. I'm sure he'd want me to give this to you, in honor of his memory." Boruto gaped a little as he ran his fingers over the precious item in reverence as if it would disappear any moment. "Go ahead and put it on."

Nodding, Boruto carefully tied the hitai-ate around his neck, like his mother had described to him in many of her tales of her youth. When he turned to face the Godaime Hokage, she was beaming proudly at him. "Well, how do I look?"

"Like a shinobi under my command, gaki. You look great. Take good care of it, you hear?"

"Of course I will, baa-chan!"

Tsunade's smile never wavered though she backed up and off the seal as the reincarnated Hokage began to move to their designated circles. Killer Bee was also in position. "Anyone else that would like to say anything to the boy before we start?" Tobirama asked. When nobody moved—either they had already talked to him or something—the Second Hokage gave a glance to his fellow ex-Konoha leaders and started molding chakra. Knowing what to do, Boruto sat down in a meditative position. He kept his eyes on the silent audience who watched in awe and admiration as their past Hokage started the sealing ritual, which would send their last ray of hope into the past.

However, this is when the Konoha 12 began to speak.

"Do your best out there, kiddo," Tenten, a surviving member of Team Gai, said, giving the blond an approving nod.

"Yosh! Let your flames of youth guide you to victory, Boruto-kun!" Rock Lee, another surviving member of Team Gai, exclaimed.

"YOSH! THOSE ARE VERY YOUTHFUL WORDS TO NARUTO'S BRAVE SON, MY PUPIL! LET HIS FLAMES OF YOUTH SHINE BRIGHTLY!" Guess who.

"YES, GAI-SENSEI!"

Boruto and the others groaned and face palmed, but the antics of student and teacher brought back many memories and laughter in most. Kakashi, who had been standing a little ways too close, grunted and rubbed his ears. No matter how many years its been, his rival and friend still had powerful lungs.

"Hey, Boruto!" Aforementioned looked up to see Kiba, one of his older brother figures, calling to him. "Just make sure you win when you cross over. With all that training you went under, you'll definitely be handing people their asses back to them!" His partner Akamaru barked gleefully in agreement.

"Remember to make allies as well," Shino, his second brother-figure spoke. He had a soft, monotone voice, but Boruto knew the man meant well. "If you are unsure of something, do not try to do it alone. Not only will you have a Tailed Beast to ask for guidance, but the opportunity to get others to understand your cause. I would rather not see my adoptive little brother frustrated." For someone who gets regularly ignored or forgotten, he had captured others' attention pretty well.

"If possible, please try to assist Konoha when Akatsuki capture me and removing the Ichibi called Shukaku," Gaara, the Godaime Kazekage said as he stepped forward. "Despite all the hardships, I believe to consider the Tailed Beast as someone I can accept as a companion. Just as Naruto has done for his Tailed Beast."

"I'll do my best, Gaara-sama."

"Just 'Gaara' will do."

"Eh... hai."

"Don't become too troublesome like your father," Shikamaru started up next. "It was bad enough having one loudmouth Uzumaki." While he said that, he was obviously smiling and meant no ill-will. "Take care of yourself and be sure to hide your presence well from my past self as well as my father. If we ever catch your true appearance, it'll start becoming even more troublesome for you. So, best get that out of the way at the very least. Only seek them out if you need more allies, however, like Shino said."

Boruto paled a little since he knew Shikamaru was incredibly smart. He'd have to keep a low profile while around him or any Nara for that matter. His mission would probably be compromised and he might be sent to that place called T &amp; I Division. Just recalling stories from Tsunade sent chills down his spine. "I will, Shikamaru-san. It might be tough, but I think pulling off some of my dad's infamous pranks should get any of the Nara off my back."

"Pfft, if anything, that'd get them even _more_ suspicious!" Kiba said with a laugh.

"Aww, but I can at least try."

"Just stick to the plan; lie low and only go out if necessary."

"Yes sir," Boruto nodded.

As everyone else spoke their turn to the child of their superimposed leader of the Allied Forces, the reincarnated Hokage and Killer Bee were completing the technique. From Hashirama, the Kanji for Mokuton appeared underneath him and a string of it aligned with one portion of the array. From Tobirama, the Kanji for Suiton appeared and mimicked. From Hiruzen, the Kanji for both Katon and Fūton appeared and lastly, for Minato, the Kanji for Raiton appeared. Killer Bee and Gyūki channeled their chakra together, and the seal began illuminate in a glow of aquamarine.

Everyone moved back in reflex as a tear in the spacial fabric began to grow in the center of the room, exactly where Boruto was sitting. The boy, while afraid, didn't move. He knew he had to go through this. Everyone was counting on him to succeed. They were making all these sacrifices for him to pull through and not fail. In fact, failure wasn't an option for him.

As the spacial rip continued to enlarge close to her son, Hinata thought over the time she spent with her child, the boy that had given her so much joy despite the hardships and the war they were in. She was a young mother who only wanted to see her son grow up into a fine young man. In a way, she did and she nurtured him as much as she could. He grew up much too quickly for her liking. She couldn't baby or coddle him for too long. She had to watch him grow from a small infant to a trained ninja in ten years. It only seemed like yesterday that she held his tiny body to hers. This moment was tearing her apart; she couldn't bear to be separated from her only sunshine.

But, as a mother and a kunoichi, she had to. Her son being born was an unknown factor and he would remain as such when he went back in time. The enemy wouldn't know how to deal with him but her son would know to handle them. He had their weaknesses recounted to him several times as possible. Boruto's appearance, they all hoped, would be the necessary ticket to an early victory without war and unnecessary bloodshed.

Seeing his mother in tears again, Boruto called out to her. "Mom, don't cry." He caught her attention well. "I'll be back before you know it. Maybe some of things I have to do I won't be able to because I'll just be too awesome and kick ass without doing any of it! Then, I'll save Dad and then come back home! You'll see me again, so don't cry anymore!" Hearing him say such things, so innocently, gave her more of a reason to continue shedding tears. It had nothing to do with him, it was what he had said.

_You'll see me again, so don't cry anymore!_

'_If only...you knew..._' Hinata thought and decided to tell him the truth. The tear was growing larger and the patterns around Boruto's circle were lighting up. She wouldn't have much time, so she had to say this before he disappeared and their world would cease to exist. "Boruto..." She started softly. Thankfully the boy's hearing was well tuned as he heard her despite the loudness of the jutsu. Just had to say it like it is. "...I-I'm sorry, my son. Y-you... You won't be coming back..." The words left her mouth and tasted so bitter, so sour.

As expected, the boy was taken aback. "Huh? What? Why?"

"This technique..." Hinata paused, trying to collect herself. A hand on landed on her shoulder—Sakura's—and gripped it in a reassuring way. "This technique c-cannot be reversed. It is... a one-way trip there."

The child was shell shocked by this revelation that he nearly stood up. However, he was stopped midway through this action.

"Boruto, don't move!" Both of his grandparents commanded.

"But!"

"Boruto-kun... please understand... This is hard for your mother as it is for us," Sakura, his adoptive Aunt, spoke up next. Her gentle green eyes were on him as he looked ready to cry himself.

"...But you're... I'll never see any of you again!?"

"That's not true," came Sasuke's voice as he approached from the side. "You'll eventually see us again."

"That's not the point, Uncle Sasu!" The man's eye twitched at the shortened use of his name. "You guys won't be physically there with me! And I'll never be able to come back? Why not?!" The smaller blond closed his eyes as he tried to deny anything else they'd say to him. Going through this task was hard enough, now adding on that he'd never see them again? This was too much! Everyone was counting on him already and now this! How was he going to get through this?

"...Boruto," the boy heard his mother call to him again, though her voice was as broken as he felt, "no matter what, my son. I love you. I love you so much. I know... I know you can do this because you're my son." He weakly glanced up to her with his eyes already swollen a bit from his tears and snot running down his nose.

The tear was growing massive and the Hachibi's chakra was supporting it.

But the boy kept his eyes on his mother, even as the seal began to push him through the distortion. "How? Mom, how! Why do you have so much faith in me? I'm... I'm just a kid...!" A kid with a ton of responsibilities on his plate. He accepted them of course. Because he thought he'd be able to come back, where he belonged after his mission was over. Not to be stuck there forever.

Hinata gave him a warm smile, a gesture only reserved for mother to her child. "Because, to be a parent, one must always have faith in their child." Boruto's eyes widened, not in disbelief, but in shell-shocked happiness. In a way, he was devastated that he would be leaving permanently, but his mother... She believed in him because he was her son. Looking at her again, with resolve building in his eyes, clutching the Konoha hitai-ate around his neck, he rewarded her with his own smile.

_Thank you, Mom. For everything._

"It's working! PUSH THROUGH!" rang Hiruzen's voice and the others focused on keeping the tear open as Killer Bee channeled more the Eight-Tails' chakra to push their small hero through. The boy's body became like spectral particles of light as they faded through and transported into the open rift. Just as he was, the reincarnated Hokage were paying a substantial price. Their Edo Tensei bodies were crumbling away as the Hachibi's chakra was being absorbed, pulling Killer Bee's chakra as well. They knew dying was a price to creating something to this degree, but it was worth it. For the former Konoha leaders, it was worth it—they were technically dead anyway. However, for Killer Bee, they had accepted it because the man himself accepted it.

When Boruto's body was gone, the technique instantly stopped, the rift closed and where the former leaders had been were empty, save for lifeless White Zetsu clones that had been used to revive them. Killer Bee collapsed to the ground, in critical condition. Despite she knew he wouldn't make it, Sakura rushed to his aide and began to cast her medical jutsu on him to keep him alive as long as possible. The very earth beneath them began to quake in terrible tremors, and it had nothing to do with Madara Uchiha finding them.

"It looks like... the old ox from ma hide... w-went along for the ride..." the Kumo Jinchūriki rapped horribly but smiled wistfully. His final words were the last thing the Allied Forces heard as their entire world came to a deafening end.

-x-

A few miles away from Konohagakure, a glowing, aquamarine seal appeared on the ground as if by magic. Reforming particle by particle was Boruto Uzumaki, having been safely transported to years before the Fourth Shinobi World War started. Once the seal was finished, it vanished, however, a trace marker was left in the dirt, useless without the creator's imagination to fuel it. The blond haired boy opened his eyes and noticed the smell was different. He looked around and saw trees literally _everywhere_ around his parents' home. The air felt so much cleaner that he took many deep breaths to satisfy his need for its taste.

The grass around him, much livelier than he'd ever seen and the sky! While it seemed to be mid-afternoon, it never looked clearer! Back in his time, the sun almost never came out. It was always raining or cloudy, as if foretelling of bad news. Plus, he hardly ever got the chance to see the sky, being cramped in the underground base for nearly most of his life. It stretched on for miles and miles without ever stopping, just like he had been told. The beautiful scenery around him made him almost forget what he had just been through. Almost.

"Wow, this is so much different than where I came from. I can see why nobody wants war; this place is amazing!" The excited blond grinned wide before it settled into a neutral expression once again. "Okay, now that I'm here, I have to start my mission. First, the map." He sat back down and took his pack off, unzipping it and going through until he found the necessary scroll labeled 'Present-Day Konoha.' He stashed the one that said 'Post-Pain Konoha' back into his bag. After opening the former map, his blue eyes roved over the precise sketch of the Village hidden in the Leaves, each important location marked by name. "So, Baa-chan must be at the Hokage Tower or at the Academy where she gives out missions to teams... I think I'll go to the tower first and see if I can find her there."

"_**A wise idea,**_" a familiar deep voice said. He already knew who it was.

"Uncle Kura! What took you so long to wake up from your nap? You can't be getting _that_ old!"

Ignoring the jibe to his name and age, the fox replied back. "_**I was never asleep. I was always awake. I heard everything your friends and family had told you before you were transported. Besides, it was me who kept your body intact during the rift. Had I been asleep, we wouldn't be existing on this side of the time era, now would we?**_" Paling a little at the thought, Boruto just sheepishly nodded and rolled up his scroll to return to his bag. Once done, he used the Transformation technique to appear like a normal child. However, he had his mother's unique indigo hair color and haircut when she was a child. His uniquely inherited whisker birth marks faded from his face. His eyes remained the same. He slipped on a mask that resembled a tiger.

"Well... let's get going then. We have a world and my dad to save from a madman Uchiha." Boruto said as he turned in the direction where, in the distance, Konoha's large gates were present.


	2. Two

Note: Wow, a few story faves/adds for this already, thanks! And thanks for the review. I understand this fanfiction idea or similar has probably been done and overused, though I'm taking some aspects from a few games and DBZ (specifically, the Androids Saga) for the time-travel stuff. So I _hope_ I'm not copying.

Oh yeah. That title cover image, I put it together. Using MSPaint to recreate a drawing is hard work.

Edit 4/6/2015: I fixed some small errors in Ch 1 and this one. Sorry for those!

-x- 2 -x-

Recalling his teaching about masking his chakra, Boruto conveniently applied the Chakra Suppression Technique it to his situation before thinking of crossing through—what he believed to be—Konoha's exceptionally large forests. He'd been warned before his journey that Anbu and patrols would be around the village 24/7 and to hide himself as best as he could. The child was well aware he wouldn't be able to mask his signature completely from high trained shinobi, but he damn well was going to try. Using the Tiger seal with his left index finger raised, he activated his dōjutsu—the veins bulging around his eyes hidden by his mask—and surveyed his immediate surroundings.

From the five kilometers his enhanced sight provided, the time-traveler deduced his position was safe, as he couldn't see nor detect any unusual chakra signatures within his scope of vision. '_That doesn't mean they aren't around... They're either hidden very well or waiting to see what I'd do._' Boruto thought, remembering he was dealing with a village of experienced shinobi. '_Not sure if I should keep it active or not, but I don't want to be caught off guard. I need to be as discreet as possible._' That had been his plan until he spotted something foreign just out of the corner of his angular perception. Whoever it was had landed too close into his blind spot. Whirling around to face the intruder—laughable, since _he_ was the one intruding—the ten-year-old jumped back and prepared to go on the offensive.

"Identify yourself," the person in the Anbu fox mask demanded calmly. He had short brown hair and bangs shadowing the front of his mask. The silent 'or else' was left out but henge'd blond knew it was hanging in the air. Well, so much for being discreet and hiding his chakra.

"...I'm Haruta," he replied, still not taking his eyes off the Anbu in front of him and not giving the man his real name, either. Boruto held up his hands as the universal sign of peace. "I've come to Konohagakure in peace. I wish to speak with your village leader privately." While he wasn't on the offensive any longer, he was still alert for any surprises. He didn't want to give the man any impression he was going to do any harm to Konoha, so he stayed put where he was.

The Anbu regarded him in a stale silence for what seemed to be a minute before deeming the child approachable. He still had his doubts however, he would only pass judgment once he received orders from the Godaime. "Follow me. I will direct you to Hokage-sama." Sighing mentally in utter relief that he 'passed' the observation test, he waited for the Fox masked Anbu to go before following along at a decent pace. They covered more ground by hopping trees and eventually came upon the enormous wall that blocked the view of the lovely Hidden Village in the Leaves.

'_Whoa, those are huge!_' Boruto gaped, thankful his face was still hidden under his own mask. He could scarcely imagine what the village looked like on the other side. He hoped it would do more justice than his imagination could ever produce. He slightly noticed he was falling behind the Anbu and picked up his speed to catch up. Following the older ninja in the shadows, they came upon the wall and jumped it. Well, in Boruto's case, he utilized his wall-walking and climbed up from the height he jumped off the tree branch, running up since he couldn't make that jump. Once he made it to the top, he couldn't help but stagger back in awe.

Konohagakure no Sato was _ginormous_.

The disguised child's eyes flashed from every color of the building roofs to the bustling people walking down paths and the giant mountain with heads craved on them. He felt his heart flutter with an emotion he couldn't yet identify and drunk in every single detail he could manage to see. His imagination of his parents' home was nothing compared to this beauty! He already grew to love the village in the span of five seconds and promised himself to keep it this way.

"Haruta-san, this way," the Fox-masked Anbu reminded as he noticed the unknown shinobi standing there for a period of one minute, most likely gazing out to the village.

"O-oh, ri-right then," Boruto snapped out of it and hurried along the rooftops with him. For good measure, he deactivated his Byakugan, namely because of the strain it was causing him. Their apparent destination was set on the building close to the large mountain with the faces on them. The time-traveler wondered if that was the Hokage Monument he had been told stories of by Konohamaru in his world. '_It has to be. He described it as having five heads of the previous and current Hokage craved into it. I see the Shodaime, the Nidaime, the Sandaime, the Yondaime and the Godaime._'

As the pair continued on their way towards the Hokage Tower, Boruto kept stealing side glances out of his peripheral vision to gaze out to the wonderful and lively town below. He was itching to get down there and enjoy himself as much as possible, but remembered what he had to do first. At the instant self reminder, he sighed somberly. He didn't know how he would prove to the present day Tsunade of his true identity, even with his arsenal of techniques. He could only hope his appearance, apparent bloodline and blood test could prove it. He had to get under her good graces before doing anything of his mission.

One thought crossed his mind as he recalled Gaara's words to him and hoped he wasn't too late to assist in rescuing the Godaime Kazekage. Little did he know that he was already too late...

-x- Hokage's Office -x-

"Hokage-sama, a unexpected visitor by the name Haruta has come and wishes to speak with you personally," the Anbu codenamed Fox stated as soon as he used the Shunshin to arrive into the chambers. The Slug Princess, Tsunade Senju, collapsed her hands underneath her chin, staring at the masked Black Ops shinobi in front of her. A visitor? She didn't recall making any plans seeing anyone today, having sent Team 7 and Team Gai out on the emergency mission to rescue Gaara a few days ago. Despite her outward appearance, she did worry about them going up against the Akatsuki.

Still, it was better seeing a random visitor than those old bats from the Council any day.

"Send them in."

With a bow, Fox vanished and a few seconds later, another entered but through the door. Tsunade studied her unusual guest with her sharp, amber eyes. She noted the person was male, given his stature and board shoulders. She also deduced he was a child—perhaps one of the newly minted Genin from the Academy, was one of her thoughts, but dismissed it when she spotted the mask on his face. He seemed fair too trained to be a mere genin, after all. His hair was an indigo shade, short and styled in a way that was normally reserved for females, but didn't make any visible mention of it. His clothes consisted of a simple, black track suit and tan shinobi sandals adorning his feet, as well as a pack firmly strapped to his back. Both of his arms were at his side and the air around him seemed peaceful but tense simultaneously.

The Godaime concluded this unknown kid was slightly suspicious, but waited to hold her judgment. For some reason, she felt something about this child, good or bad, but dismissed the unusual feeling. She decided to get right to the point. "All right, I'm cutting to the chase here. Who are you and what do you want?"

The boy shifted uncomfortably at the sound of her authoritative voice but found the necessary courage to speak. "Before I answer those questions, is there any way you block the sound in this room with a seal of any kind?" The Godaime had even more suspicions about this strange character but thought to comply in order to get some answers. If this person tried anything funny, or stupid, she'd be able to handle herself. Plus, she had Anbu on standby—

"Could you also send your hidden shinobi away, too?"

—Damn, he was good if he picked up on them. "You're a sensory type, aren't you?" She couldn't help but ask with narrowed eyes. The lad had the audacity to nod to that particular question, however.

"In a way, I am."

With a wave, she signaled her Anbu off. They had hesitated for a few seconds, not wanting to leave their Hokage unprotected from a potential threat, before obeying her command. When they were gone, she performed the necessary hand seals to activate the sound barriers to prevent eavesdroppers from overhearing their upcoming conversation. For good measure, she stood up, locked the door, closed the windows and shut the blinds, just in case there were any lip readers from a distance.

Tsunade returned to her seat, hands collapsed underneath her chin as she studied the dark-haired boy once again. "Well, you have it. It's just us now, so spill. What are you here for, and do you have any intention of harming Konoha?" Her abruptness didn't have the desired effect of making him flinch, and he made no move to remove his mask. She saw him side glance at her calendar on the wall and gasping a bit before composing himself.

"To the last question you asked, no I'm not here to harm the village. I'm here to help," the boy replied. "As for your other two questions from before... I'll answer the second one first. I want to save Konoha and a person that's very special to me." He paused, mostly to stop himself from flinching under Tsunade's hardened gaze. "You know him as Naruto Uzumaki."

The name of the boy she considered a brother slip out of an unknown person's mouth set her on alert. "Oh?" She managed to keep calm, however. "And why is he so important to you?" She had about half a mind to pull a punch on this idiot if he didn't start making sense soon. The lad shifted from his feet, his head down as if thinking of something. With as much patience she could muster, the Godaime waited until he was finished mulling over whatever to answer.

"...You're not going to believe this... at all. In fact, you'll most likely say 'that's bullshit' but I promise you it's the truth..." he said softly, taking a huge intake of breath before exhaling it. He lifted his head to look at her expression, noticing it shift into an emotion he couldn't quite decipher. However, her eyes looked like they told him to 'get with the program' so he willed himself to speak the next bit.

"He's important to me... because he's my father."

The masked boy waited a few seconds in the uncomfortable silence of the Hokage's Office. The tension rose much higher than before, especially the drop of the temperature. He felt like he was going to be squashed by intensity. Seeing as the Slug Princess was in relative shock, evidence by how her face seemed frozen in place, he gave a mental countdown. _3... 2... 1..._

_"What_?" Tsunade recovered enough to respond. "That is... the most amusing bullshit I've ever heard_,"_ She laughed sarcastically then glared death at the boy, releasing killing intent unlike any other. "You expect me to believe that? Do you even realize how old the one you're speaking about is?!" The Godaime rose from her seat, watching how the boy squirmed under her terrifying gaze and killer intent, but managed to stay standing—albeit on heavily shaking legs. "Are you crazy? What kind of joke is this?"

Seeing his end was rapidly approaching, he desperately made to remove his mask. "I-I'm not lying to you!" He squeaked as she neared him, and the confidence he built up before entering the room slowly dwindled like a candle going out. Quickly, he dispelled his henge and took off his mask, just in time to see Tsunade's chakra infused punch inches away from his face.

"Baa-chan, please stop! I'm telling the truth!" He all but blurted out in a panicked hurry, putting up his arms in defense and totally forgetting he _wasn't_ supposed to call her 'baa-chan' at all. Tsunade stopped her punch and stared wide eyed at the now mask-less boy in front of her.

Standing right in front of her could have been Naruto when he was twelve years old, about three years back when she first met him. His hair was as blond as Naruto's, but his hairstyle looked more like a leaf shape than anything, especially with that stem-like ahoge sticking out from the top of his head which added more to the leaf-like appearance. The shape of the boy's eyes looked remarkably similar to Naruto's and the roundness of his face looked oddly familiar, though she couldn't place it. The color of his eyes, blue like the ocean, were studying her, staring up at her, in gradual fear and panic. Then, on his face—oh god—were two thin and distinct whisker-like marks on each cheek, very _very_ similar to her brother figure.

And the fact he labeled her 'baa-chan'...

Tsunade took a few collective steps back, her brain trying to process this information as carefully as possible. She wouldn't admit it yet, but her brain had slightly shut down at this impossibility standing before her, but the physical evidence of his claim seemed to be clicking in place. Adding salt to the mental wound, the boy started talking again.

"I'm sorry... I was hoping to avoid showing my true face until the end of my explanations. But, you were about to hit me and your punches hurt," the now blond said as he calmed his own self down. "Let me... start from the top, okay?" Tsunade simply but slowly nodded as her response. "My actual name isn't 'Haruta'. That's just the persona I have chosen to go by while I'm here. I don't want anyone knowing of my true identity except you," Boruto said truthfully, hoping every word he spoke would get through to the woman he looked up to as a grandmother in his past.

"The real truth behind me being Naruto Uzumaki's son is still correct. Like I said earlier, you might not believe it at all, but..." he placed his right hand over his heart and stared into Tsunade's eyes. "I'm from the future, a total of eleven years from now." Boruto paused again, trying to collect himself. He had to remain as calm as possible, but with his frustration and panic hopping all around, it was difficult to speak without rushing. "I'm here to prevent my father's death and to stop the Fourth Shinobi War from happening because of the Akatsuki and them capturing the Jinchūriki for their sealed Bijū!"

Hearing the criminal organization leave the boy's lips, and the fact he knew information that hadn't been given freely anywhere from Konoha, Tsunade gave the child a serious glance over before giving him her undivided attention. "Slow down, gaki, and sit down." She said in a softer but firm tone, still trying to sort out everything she's heard so far. She warily took her seat and watched the blond find a chair up against a wall, scooting it over until it faced her before sitting down as well. Believing this was going to be a long conversation, she produced a bottle of sake and prompted the lad to continue.

"You have my attention. I want you to start from the beginning."

Taking many deep breaths, Boruto nodded. "Okay,"

It took relatively over two hours for the boy to explain himself, starting with his name ("Yeah, my name's Boruto Uzumaki, dattebasa!") to the day of his birth, concluding around the events that led to the time-traveling sequence, which led him to this present-day Konoha. He spoke in great and grave detail of everything he was told and knew, and spoke highly of the people he spent most of his time with growing up. The boy told her how he was trained in an underground base protected with chakra suppressing barriers to prevent the madman Madara Uchiha from locating them. Hearing of her grandfather's rival and former friend, the traitor Uchiha, had been revived and wanted to become the Jinchūriki of creature known as the Jūbi to cast an Infinite Tsukuyomi on the world. In order for that to happen, he needed all nine Bijū sealed into this statue called the Gedō Mazō.

When she asked how Naruto was killed, fearing the worst, he replied in a somber tone: "His tailed beast was extracted during the battle." The last few minutes were spent on her asking questions and him replying to the best of his ability.

"...All right... Let's say I... do believe you and your claims, what do you have that can prove your credibility?" Tsunade asked, having sipped another round of her sake. In actuality, she already concluded the boy wasn't lying and believed him but she still wanted to see some sort of physical proof. Determined to get his grandmother figure to understand fully, Boruto took off his pack, settled it in his lap and proceeded to open it to fish out something. The now-drunk Godaime watched him in interest as he found whatever he was looking for—a simple scroll—and gave it to her.

"This was written by you, from my time era I mean," he started, zipping his bag closed again. "It's sealed off from me, so I can only say it's a letter addressed to you and only for your eyes. I wouldn't have been able to open it if I wanted to; there's a blood seal infused on it, preventing anyone but yourself from seeing its contents." Boruto straightened up in his chair. "It's... all I have that proves my claim."

Tsunade fingered the scroll a little, noticing what he had said was indeed correct. There was a blood seal layered on it, and by the looks of it, keyed into her own. Having trusted his testimony so far, the Slug summoner bit her finger until blood was drawn from it and pressed it to the seal. In a flash, it vanished, allowing her access. So far so good, she thought idly as she unraveled the document and began reading it to herself.

_Tsunade,_

_If you're reading this, then it looks like the gaki made it back in time safely and has delivered this to you. First, let me say that whatever comes out of his mouth about his past is correct. The Fourth Shinobi World War had been initiated by a man we thought was Madara Uchiha, but in fact, it turned out to be none other than the surviving member of Team Minato, Obito Uchiha. For orchestrating everything that led up to the war's start was his doing, aided by the real Madara Uchiha when he had been presumably killed in his mission during the Third Shinobi World War. Kakashi had confirmed this when they had fought._

_There's more to this story and not much space on this scroll, so I will shorten it as best as I can. The fight against them had gone well until Obito summoned the Gedō Mazō to the battlefield—where Naruto and the Shinobi Alliance were stationed—and our fight, the Gokage of the Elemental Nations, stood up against Madara._

_Yes, the Elemental Nations all form an alliance to fight against Madara and eventually, Obito._

_The turning point of our fight happened when Madara forcibly had the statue remove the Nine-Tails from Naruto. We weren't able to save him, and thus were forced to retreat. The Alliance feared the worst as we all believed him to be fighting power of our combined forces. We lost our hope and many lost the will to fight. It changed when the kid that is most likely in front of you was born. To cut it short, the Alliance went under the radar from Madara to prevent him from extracting the Eight-Tails from a Kumo-nin called Killer Bee, and from retrieving the other half of the Kyūbi from the Yondaime Hokage—yes, the four deceased Hokage were revived by Orochimaru for whatever reason and came to our aid._

_The gaki was trained, groomed to become an unknowing factor to our plans of reversing the tragedies we've undergone. He is above average of a chūnin, but I say make him a genin to allow him the element of surprise. Sending him back in time was our idea and his personal mission. He needs to accomplish a set of goals before he can 'sit still'._

_First, he needs to reach contact of Itachi Uchiha. This was a request from his brother, Sasuke Uchiha, to find him and get him to agree to explain the real reason to the present-day Sasuke of his actions of the Uchiha Massacre._

_Second, he is to observe Naruto from the shadows. Why this is will be explained momentarily. So if you send Naruto on any mission, allow the boy to shadow him._

_Third, in this mission, should Naruto eventually learn to control the Ky__ū__bi's chakra, the boy is supposed to transfer the remaining Yin portion of the Nine-Tails to Naruto using a fūinjutsu called the Tailed Beast Transfer. He learned this technique through his parental grandfather, Minato Namikaze._

_These are his main three goals of his mission with added side requests to complete if he can. One of them which is to assist the rescue team sent to save the Kazekage, Gaara, from the Akatsuki's clutches; save Asuma Sarutobi from being killed by an Akatsuki member called Hidan, an apparent 'immortal'; and lastly, to reach out to Sasuke Uchiha of the present time. The boy has some words regarding a member of the council who was responsible for Itachi's actions._

_Lastly, it should be noted we all went through our theories of time-travel. It is a shaky subject, one that isn't touched upon very lightly throughout the world. There are a few possibilities that could happen to the boy. One, he could disappear anytime as he is an unknown factor in the time stream; Two, he would have a limited amount of time before disappearing; Three, he is safe in the time era he appears in, only causing a small distortion in the fabric of space according to Shikamaru. We were clued in that the Yin half of the Ky__ūbi's chakra acts like a pillar upholding the roof of a house. If it is removed, the boy could disappear that way. In a nutshell, if the boy's future Kyūbi is extracted from his person forcibly, he could disappear. Using the transfer technique also has the risk he disappears as well._

_The boy knows all the risks and has still taken everything listed in this letter as his own responsibilities. Tsunade, I ask of you to watch him and guide him when he needs a helping hand. He's stubborn like a bull, but gets as easily frustrated as his father. He won't be able to do this alone, not this ten-year-old boy. Keep his identity a secret, take it to your grave if you must. No one else but you are to know of his existence._

_Signed, Tsunade Senju, Godaime Hokage_

_PS. Make sure he eats something other than ramen and tomato soup._

The drunken Godaime reread the letter, signed by herself in her own handwriting, something nobody can mimicry without practiced precision. When it done, she could only stare again at the boy who claimed to be Naruto's future son. He had the looks, some of his attitude all right, but some part of him was calm, like the water in a pond. She couldn't believe it when it first came out of his mouth, but the letter addressed to her proved it, too. The parchment and writing felt too real to be a well though out but fabricated lie.

Boruto glanced back to his grandmother figure, hoping that now she'd take him more seriously and allow him to start his mission in secrecy. It was anything but easy; the ninja world was very dangerous, hence why his family trained him into the ground everyday since he could walk and talk. He was their shining hope, their beacon, much like his father had been. He'd rather roll over on his back and die before failing his task.

"So, what does it say? Baa-chan had taken a while to write that two days ago... Erm, w-well in my time, I mean." It was still a bit of a sour subject for him to say. He knew he wouldn't ever be able to go back into his own time era, being permanently stuck in this time. But, if it was the grand price to pay for saving more lives from being needlessly sacrificed, then he would choose this path and continue until successful. To fail or not to fail wasn't an option.

Tsunade took a moment to gather her thoughts, as well as not outright say she hadn't written the letter but her future self had. This whole predicament was confusing. "She detailed what your mission is and I have to say... I don't like either of the reasons for them. For the Kazekage, I'm afraid I can't send you on that one. Team 7 and Team Gai already departed for the mission four days ago and won't be due back until another three days." The boy nodded in understanding, feeling a bit let down before replying.

"I understand. But, sorry to say this, but those things listed are my responsibilities, baa-cha—uh, Tsunade-sama. I can't abandon them because they're key factors of preventing the war. At least, from what I was told. I can't go back to my time, so I'm stuck here. I _have_ to be successful. There's no room for error—this isn't about my future, it's about the future of the world."

"I get it, gaki." And she did, honestly. She rolled up the scroll and placed it on her desk at the moment, situating her thoughts again. Sending out a ten-year-old against S-rank missing-nin didn't sit well with her. Especially with a boy that she supposedly had a hand in raising in his time. "I don't feel comfortable sending you out there, knowing you aren't up to par with them and getting hurt. Your father would turn in his grave if he knew his son were hurt or possibly were killed because I'm supposed to send you off to do these tasks."

Boruto stood up from his chair, fists clenched at his side. "Tsunade-sama!" She noted he dropped the familial term, "I _have_ to. I have to fix these bad things that happened so it can—"

"I never said I wasn't going to send you, Boruto. Calm yourself and sit back down." The frustrated time-traveler did as he was told, hoping to not incur the elder woman's wrath. "I just want you with at least two others, possibly jonin or Anbu. It'd make me feel better."

"No, that won't work. They'll probably inquire why I have to do such and such, going purposefully into dangerous territory. I can't risk that. My mission would be compromised."

"Then how about I assign you to an existing team?"

"Huh—what?"

Tsunade pushed some of her blond bangs away as she allowed a light sigh to escape her lips. "I assign a team to you, like a long escort mission to and from your destinations. The only difference is that I'll have to up the rank to at least an A for the team that assists you. That way, you can still do what you need to do and make it home safely."

The ten-year-old crossed his arms, looked down, and pondered over the idea. While it seemed ideal to have a few capable shinobi with him, he still didn't like the thought. They'd probably pry into his business, just like the others, which he was forbidden from revealing unless the circumstances were extremely dire. His Grandpa had stressed this to the point Boruto wanted to strangle him for always repeating it to him (Of course, he never carried through with that threat).

However, the pros to having a group with him is if the off chance he were ambushed, they'd have a higher chance of escaping than if he were alone. '_But I wasn't trained all that time for nothing. It was to groom me for my own self protection. I don't _need _to be protected. I can handle myself._' For that thought, an image of his Uncle Kakashi stressing the importance of teamwork replayed in his mind. '_Ugh, okay, okay Kaka-ojisan jeez! I get it. Don't lecture me in my subconsciousness anymore._' Thankfully, the silver-haired jōnin's image faded.

Fine. He would submit to this idea.

"All right, baa-chan, you win. I'll just have to deal with nosy shinobi then, but I'm not going to answer any of their curious questions. Maybe vaguely but not always." '_Shikamaru was right. Women sometimes can be really troublesome..._'

The Godaime grinned at his decision and sobered up a bit. "Good choice, brat. The team I had in mind actually was Team 7."

"Team 7?" He repeated. '_That sounds awfully familiar. Didn't I just hear that earlier?_'

"Yes. It's the team your father and Sakura are listed in."

Boruto face vaulted. "Baa-chan, I just told you I wanted to remain away from my parents in this time for a while until I'm ready. I'm pretty sure he'll start getting suspicious over my appearance and everything."

"I thought you wanted to see him? The man you never knew?"

The blond stopped ranting and frowned, feeling ashamed. "I... I do. I really do. But I'm also scared, you know? I... I just don't want to give him a bad impression of me. I'd prefer to stay under my henge, but there's the Hyūga Clan that will spot it in a heartbeat... So I can't do that..."

"Which means you'll have to stay as your natural self. Don't worry about it; use your other persona's name for the time being. If anyone asks you too close for comfort questions, quietly dismiss them with a reason. But trust me; you'll want to be natural at the least a little. I believe Naruto wouldn't want to second guess his comrades who hide themselves under a henge." Tsunade ran a hand through her hair and watched the boy's expression shift through a few emotions before settling on a neutral one.

With a low sigh of defeat, Boruto shrugged his shoulders. "You're right. If anything, I'll just wear my mask so they won't see my face." He picked up his cheetah mask and adjusted it a little until the mouth piece was bent in naturally to show a person's mouth but not the eyes. He honestly wanted to use a henge, but it'd be pointless. Plus, he wanted to earn the trust of others in case he would need assistance, he could ask without being awkward.

"Hey, how am I going to shadow Da—I mean Naruto if he's going to be with me 24/7?"

"You can monitor him from afar while doing what you need to do. It's called multitasking."

Boruto puffed up his cheeks. He wasn't so good at that, even though his Grandfather told him he was a natural at it. Part of the reason why he might be is due to the fact he wasn't _aware_ he was multitasking. The boy didn't make any further comments to the Godaime's previously stated suggestion/opinion. Rather not give her any ideas of who to punch into a wall next.

Tsunade glanced at the clock on the nearest wall and stood up. "Well, it's getting late; already 7:40 pm. I believe that's enough information for now. Tomorrow, I want you to return here so we can discuss more about your mission and plan ahead. The information you have given is extremely valuable and I won't waste time preparing my shinobi force for the worst."

"I'm glad I could help."

"Let's get going, Boruto."

"Eh?" He blinked, thoroughly confused. "Where are we going?"

Tsunade smirked. "To get you an apartment room and necessities. You do want to stay in Konoha, right?" Her words almost flew over him but the son of Naruto merely chuckled.

"Yeah, of course I do! My mom loved this place and she said dad did as well! I took five seconds of staring at it to fall in love with the village, too. It's got that 'home' feel and I like it!" Boruto exclaimed excitedly. As Tsunade deactivated the sound barrier seals and unlocked the door of the office, Boruto quickly placed his mask on his face and replaced his pack on his back. He walked out of the room and waited for the Godaime.

"Hold on there, Haruta," She said, getting the boy's public persona's name down. She went up to her desk, picked up the letter her future self had written and stashed it on her person. Seconds later, she was walking out the office and closing the door behind her. "Come, let's get you situated."

"Right." Boruto happily stepped beside the Fifth Hokage, enjoying being in her presence once again. Sure, he still missed his family, especially his mother, but he needed to put on a brave face and push forward. As his mother told him, he was to be a shinobi, and shinobi were 'those who endure'. If he endured this hardship, he would for sure get stronger physically and emotionally. He would be able to stick to his nindō, the one he shared with his parents. '_I'll never give up nor go back on my word. That's my way of the ninja too, Mom. I'll make sure this world stays at peace. I'll make you and everyone proud of me. That's my promise to you, dattebasa!_'

"By the way, Haruta," Tsunade began as they walked, heading outside the tower and towards the village proper.

"Mm?"

"You mentioned your mother during your tale but never her name. Who is she? Anyone from our village?"

Unknowingly, the boy blushed a tomato red, something his mother thought was incredibly adorable when she'd first seen it. He'd reminded her of herself when she was younger. He looked away bashfully, wondering why all of a sudden he was feeling too nervous. '_It's just a question! I mean, it's not like Mom's embarrassing to talk about!... Okay, maybe a little bit...!_' After shifting from one foot to another, the masked boy spoke up. "Uh w-well... My mom's the kindest and sweetest woman you'll ever know. She's also the most soft spoken and she really adores... um... Dad." For whatever reason, his reddening face reddened even further somehow. Thankfully, his mask blocked majority of his embarrassment.

"Come on, gaki. Spit it out already." She was eager to find out and didn't understand why he seemed so troubled with replying.

"Um... My mom's Hinata Hyūga." Oh. _Oh_. Now she knew why the boy was so troubled. If Hiashi ever found out about his future grandson, she was certain the man would call for Naruto's castration and swift execution. Tsunade spared the poor ten-year-old a concerned glance as he found much interest on the ground than looking forward. Tsunade was aware the heiress liked Naruto more than she let on, and the proof of their probably undeniable love was in the form of this boy next to her. It was believable and then suddenly, the Fifth wanted to do a blood test on him. After all, he _did_ offer earlier. Perhaps she can escort him to the hospital, to check up on his condition, seeing as he was a child that only ran on ramen and tomato soup and was a Jinchūriki in essence of carrying a Bijū for a later transfer.

Oddly enough, she wondered how the present day parents of this kid would react should they meet him...

-x- Later that evening -x-

Some rounds of shopping with Tsunade's help and one trip to the hospital later, Boruto was finally able to relax in his new apartment. He only wanted simple things; a twin sized bed, a two seated couch, one drawer for clothes, cleaning supplies and just ramen and tomato soup. Unfortunately, the Hokage, being a medic-nin, refused to buy him ramen when his ramen loving father literally hogged up the instant cups in stores. His response to her miniature rant was "Ramen is the food of the gods." Eventually, she gave up and he was able to purchase a supply of those in every flavor.

(Though, she did sneak other products in without his notice).

His flat was pretty simple and he didn't really mind the small amount of dust here or there. This place was like a heaven to him because 1) it was all his though he'd have to perform genin duties on the side to help pay for his rent, 2) he finally had a _bed_ to sleep on and not a cot. Unbeknownst to him, his apartment room was just next door to Naruto's. Tsunade seemingly left that information out on purpose when showing him to his new living quarters, not that he knew anyway.

Sighing in light content, Boruto gazed up to the ceiling of the room, thinking back on his conversation with his beloved baa-chan. While it ideally didn't start out well, it ended with a great note and he couldn't help but pat himself on the back. '_I'm one step closer, Mom._' He thought happily, thinking about her and her warm smile and hugs. He didn't cry because he knew she was with him all the way.

"_**What is the plan for tomorrow, Bolt?**_"

'_Oh, Uncle Kura, you finally decided to grace the waking realm with your presence._'

"_**It wasn't worth my time anyway.**_"

'_Hah. Well, for tomorrow, I'm gonna meet up with baa-chan and we'll get the information I told and gave her today situated. Like, she's going to start upping the village's defense and shinobi force. She also assigned to me a team._' Kurama seemed a bit perplexed but silently urged his temporary host to continue with his explanation. '_I mean, she doesn't want me to go out there alone, trying to find Itachi Uchiha and deliver the news from his brother of our time. She also doesn't want me to go out there and find Sasuke, either. She's afraid I'll get hurt. Not to mention, those guys are like S-rank missing-nin. The amount of training I got boosted me to at the very least ch__ū__nin level. In all honesty, I'm no match for them._'

"_**Looking at it from a logical point of view, no you're no match for them.**_" He paused for a quick moment before remembering something. "_**Do you recall the Yondaime making an adjustment to your seal once he transferred me to you?**_"

'_I think so. He said it was a failsafe, in case my Tailed Beast Transfer Technique didn't go right. Like, if it was pulling my chakra out instead, it would forcibly halt the process and readjust, thus making me your Jinchūriki completely._' Boruto answered and frowned. '_You know, I don't want to do that. I'm meant to give you back your chakra to your other portion, not jail the rest. That'd be pretty stupid._'

"_**Yes and no. Yes it would be 'stupid' as you claim as it would defeat the purpose. As for the 'no', you'd be able to access my chakra easily and use it to defend yourself better. You're already used to my power, thanks to the Yondaime expelling amounts of it when you were growing up.**_"

'_I guess... It'll just feel awkward having you stay in my body longer than needed. No offense, Uncle Kura._'

"_**None taken.**_"

Taking a look at his new clock on the wall, Boruto stretched and yawned, trying to find a comfortable position on his new bed. '_I'm off to bed now. Need to wake up early enough to get to baa-chan's office for our next meeting._'

"_**I'll leave you to that. Good night.**_"

'_Night, Kura-ojisan. Don't stay up too late._'

"_**Humph, says you.**_"

With a tired but gleeful grin plastered on his face, Boruto slowly closed his eyes, allowing sleep to take him into the wonders of dreamland. His dream consisted of his parents walking him to a park, similar to the one he had seen today, and them pushing him on the swings. The rest of his family were there, all having a good time, with nothing to fear. It was an ideal dream, and he prayed to Kami that something similar to his dream would come true.

_Please keep watching me, Mom, Dad. This will be our ideal peace. Don't you guys forget my promise!_

* * *

Note: I didn't spend much time on this because Uchū no Hanten's second chapter is more important. Plus, homework needed to be turned in and I used this fanfiction as a distraction. By the way, I will interchangeably use the Japanese suffixes and words (-chan, -san, -sama, etc.) and English transliterations (uncle, aunt, dad, mom, etc.) because they both sound cool to me.

Those who were worried/wondering; Bolt's Byakugan is similar to medium sized dogs; it's a codominant trait with the genes of his dad. (Biology for the win) I purposefully made it weaker to show he isn't overpowered. I hope he isn't; if he feels that way to you, I apologize.

*5 kilometers is 3 miles.

Maa, maa, review if you like.


End file.
